Students Say Mournful Farewell

W&m 'Campus Icon,' Friend Remembered

WILLIAMSBURG — For many students who came to the College of William and Mary in recent years, Alex Reyno's smiling face was the first thing that greeted them.

A senior who was just a few weeks away from graduation, Reyno served as an orientation aide for freshmen, as well as a tour guide for the admissions office.

"He was just so friendly," said Meg Eichler, who first met Reyno when he served as her student guide when she arrived as a freshman nearly three years ago.

"I'm grateful he was part of my first experience here at William and Mary."

Reyno died Tuesday afternoon when he jumped into the Crim Dell pond and suffered a broken neck, said Sam Sadler, vice president for student affairs. Sadler was not sure how Reyno suffered the injury, or whether he hit his head on a strip of concrete that runs along the pond.

Eichler, a junior, joined several other students Wednesday who left flowers, cards, candles, pictures and notes at the pond.

Reyno, 21, of Springfield, was giving his last tour of campus to prospective students when he decided to honor the occasion by diving backward into the pond about 4:20 p.m., Sadler said. The pond dive was apparently planned, Sadler said, and Reyno pulled another tour guide, a female student, into the water with him.

The other student quickly surfaced.

When Reyno stayed under, several students jumped into the pond, which is 8- to 10-feet deep where he dived, to search for him, officials said.

"There were a lot of people here," said junior Stacey Hohman, who was walking by the pond a few minutes after the accident. "They were just trying to get him out."

Williamsburg paramedics and campus police attempted to revive Reyno, but he was pronounced dead at Williamsburg Community Hospital about 45 minutes later.

Hohman, who did not know Reyno, dropped several red flowers into the pond Wednesday.

"It's very sad," she said. "Right now, I think everybody is just trying to come to terms with it."

Reyno is the fourth student to die at the college this school year. A freshman was killed in November when a trash truck struck him as he biked across campus. In March, two students -- a freshman and a law student -- committed suicide in separate incidents, college officials said.

Usually, Crim Dell is one of the most relaxing places on campus.

On a nice day, students flock to the area that is located between the Swem Library and the University Center to read, study, socialize, or nap between classes.

By noon Wednesday, a make-shift memorial had been set up on the short wooden railing that serves as a barrier between the pond and the road that runs behind the University Center.

One picture dated April 22 showed Reyno giving a big hug to a woman. A note next to the picture read, "I love you Alex. Your hugs are the best."

Another note was signed by "Seniors 2003." It read, "We will walk without our fellow -- friend -- brother, and we will not be complete. You were taken from us, too soon."

Some students stopped to look at the pictures and others left notes and pictures of Reyno, who friends say was well known by most people on campus.

In addition to serving as a tour guide and orientation aid, Reyno was the goalie on the college's rugby team, and an active brother in Pi Lambda Phi fraternity, Sadler said.

Reyno was also a finalist to be the student commencement speaker, Sadler said.

"He was an icon for this campus," said sophomore Kimberly Palmer, who first met Reyno when he came to her high school in Roanoke three years ago to talk to prospective students.

"His outgoing personality is what attracted me to this school," Palmer said. "It's just tragic."

Staff writer Patti Rosenberg contributed to this report.

Brian Whitson can be reached at 223-5683 or by e-mail at bwhitson@dailypress.com